Expectations and Perception : Comparison of Experts’ and Participants’ Opinion Regarding Three Teacher Specialisation Programmes Implemented

Researches related to teacher expertise, and teacher specialisation programmes are scattered, and not thoroughly investigated in the European context. Hence, this study was focused on three teacher specialisation programmes (school well-being; teaching and learning in digital environments; multicultural education) which were implemented at the University of Turku in Turku, Finland. The uniqueness of this research emanates from the fact that in 2015 the Finnish parliament accepted new legislation about specialisation studies in higher education. Therefore, the mentioned courses were the first general specialisation degree trainings for higher education graduates based on the new legislation. The courses were aimed at providing experienced teachers with an opportunity to develop their professional skills. Moreover, the participants of the projects got an excellent chance to network with their colleagues. Furthermore, the participants of the courses were expected to have a desire to share gained expertise with their co-workers. The purpose of this study was to compare the informants’ expectations, meaning those who designed the development programmes, with those of the participants after completing the training projects. Consequently, the data analysis provided empirical information about the value of the implemented programmes. Moreover, the analysis offered guidance for further development of the projects. Eight interviews were conducted with the informants. Also, a questionnaire was sent to the participants, 26 of which were completed and returned. The researcher used the factor analysis, t-test, and regression test to analyse results of the questionnaire. The findings revealed the significance of the created courses. It was proved that participants’ expertise development was influenced by a supportive working environment, networking, and a strong inner motivation to become a better teacher. Additionally, the results showed that participants’ confidence in their ability to spread obtained knowledge was highly influenced by their desire to become more professionally mature